June 01, 2016
Last year Cincinnati punk band Vacation posted a matter-of-fact update on their website: “Some [stuff] has changed. We are now a four-piece band.” The group lost a member to an outgrowth band called Tweens, but Vacation isn’t taking any time off. The newly updated quartet is headed up to the Ottawa Explosion Weekend festival later this month, so they built a little tour around it — starting with Thursday night at PhilaMOCA. Also on the bill: Philly’s own Joe Jack Talcum — a.k.a. The Dead Milkmen singer Joe Genaro — and Dark Thoughts.
Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m., $10, all ages
Cleveland rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony peaked in the mid-1990s, popularity-wise, but they’ve been hitting the same notes ever since. The group’s fast, melodic, tongue-twisting rap was both influential and impossible to duplicate. And while the group has an undeniable schtick, they’ve mined the style to classic effect. This year marks the 20-year anniversary of Bone’s most popular single, “Tha Crossroads,” culled from a splendid but overshadowed album called “E. 1999 Eternal,” and the group has smartly built a nostalgic tour around the occasion. The Bone Thugs arrives at the TLA tonight with openers Royce Castro and Nov Mulla.
Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m., $30
Grimes is the stage name of Canadian singer/songwriter/producer Claire Boucher who, last year, at the age of 28, released her fourth album and in so doing stretched the limits of what it means to make pop music. Tomorrow night at the Electric Factory, Grimes is joined by up-and-coming L.A. artist Hana mysterious star Lana Del Rey.
Show 8:30 p.m.; $40-$125
Two contemporary soul legends join forces at The Mann Center tomorrow night. Anthony Hamilton, the gritty-voiced soul man who broke out in 2003 with “Comin’ from Where I’m From,” has just released his seventh album, “What I’m Feelin’.” For her part, Fantasia has long outgrown her status as an American Idol winner and has built a bonafide recording career in the decade since. Her latest, a planned album called “The Definition Of …,” is due out next month but fans will likely get a sneak peek on Friday.
Doors 6 p.m., show 8 p.m., $34.50-$125, all ages
In case you live on another planet, NFL player Connor Barwin (who is changing on-field positions this offseason ) is an unbridled indie rock fan. His annual benefit concert was born out of an organic fanship that’s been on full display for years, but especially since being traded to the Eagles in 2013. “I was going to a couple shows at Union Transfer and Sean Agnew reached out to me … like, ‘You ever want to come do a show, hit me up,” the 29-year old told Pitchfork last month. This year’s Make The World Better benefit concert, which again raises funds for Philly playgrounds, features Hop Along and Waxahatchee and promises a surprise special guest.
Doors 7:30 p.m., show 8:15 p.m., $5-$300, all ages
The Roots might be skipping out on the July 4th festivities this year but their annual Picnic is here to stay. Now in its ninth iteration this year’s Picnic features a reliably diverse lineup of musicians that will attract a summer-ready, all-ages crowd. The festival is bigger than ever this year with a bill that spotlights headliners Future, Usher, and the house band themselves. The crowded bill also includes performances from Leon Bridges, Blood Orange, Kaytranada, Ibeyi, Jidenna, DMX, and more. Check out the full lineup here.
Show noon, $99.50+, all ages
Almost a year ago the increasingly tepid dad rockers that make up the band Wilco surprised fans with a free album. More surprising than the price tag, however, was the quality of the music: pleasantly unambitious, easy to listen to, hard to turn off. That album, “Star Wars,” propels the band’s current tour, which stops at The Mann on Saturday for a low-key show featuring a solo set from prolific guitarist Richard Thompson.
Show 7:30 p.m., $69.50, all ages
Beyoncé knows a thing or two about putting on a show. At the last Super Bowl, a surprisingly dull affair, Bey injected some flair onto the field with an overtly political performance. Two months later the superstar’s “Lemonade” album-cum-movie was its own hefty cultural event. And while the drama has subsided, Beyoncé has taken the show on the road. On Sunday, she brings her ambitious “Formation” tour to the Linc.
Show 7:30 p.m., $40+, all ages
